Rev. Jay Voorhees, Executive Editor of the United Methodist Reporter, has published a short report on his church’s ban on intelligent design. As readers will know, the UMC barred Discovery Institute from having an information table at the upcoming General Conference in Portland, Oregon. See here for our coverage of the matter so far.
They have offered a variety of rationales for the action, none that makes much sense, and in the article Rev. Voorhees quotes the secretary of the General Conference, who circles back to this:
“The concern,” said Fitzgerald Reist, secretary of the General Conference, “is that the Discovery Institute’s stated mission is at odds with Resolution 5052 in The 2012 United Methodist Book of Resolutions.” This resolution states that “…the General Conference of The United Methodist Church go on record as opposing the introduction of any faith-based theories such as Creationism or Intelligent Design into the science curriculum of our public schools.”
“We are bound to follow the social teachings of our church,” said Reist.
Just following the rules, he says? We told UMC officials back in December, when the issue first came up, that we are on board with them about not pushing ID into public schools. We have consistently opposed such a move, and did so, very explicitly, in the context of Dover case. When we informed UMC staff of this, it seemed to go in one ear and out the other. In addition, ID is a science- not a faith-based idea.
What’s more, if the UMC hierarchy is so concerned about following the “social teachings of our church,” then why do they embrace Home Depot and Staples? As Donald McLaughlin pointed out, those two businesses endorse a view marriage that, whatever its merits considered independently, runs straight up against the church’s clear doctrinal standards, a weightier thing than a mere resolution. The appearance of a double standard or opportunistic vetting is unavoidable.
Wouldn’t it be fascinating to receive a comment from Fitzgerald Reist on these points?
Image: Statue of John Wesley, Savannah, Georgia, via Wikicommons.
